Such respect.

I couldn't agree more Dreadwitch. My children are trying their hardest to instill gratitude and respect in my grandsons.

My mother was taken to the crematorium in a carriage pulled by two horses and on the way we had to go round a roundabout. First one car then another stopped on the roundabout to let the funeral cortège of cars follow. Also saw people stop walking along and would cross themselves.

A sadly different event at my grans funeral, a very hasty driver tried to overtake the cortege and then "cut back in".. he crashed into the hearse . We were all sat on a very busy road waiting for the police and assistance..

Peaseblossom

CanadianGran what planet is she living on?

Slightly unfair I think. We had no funerals in our families until I was in my thirties and I really knew nothing about them. One of my grandparents died when I was about 10 but we lived abroad and only my father came home for it.

Obviously I was aware of funerals, hearses, cremations, etc in a vague sort of way but had never attended one and they weren't something anyone discussed, especially youngsters.

We do in my world. I raised my kids that way and my grandsons from both kids are definitely being raised that way. My daughters boys were thanking bus and taxi drivers as soon as they could talk, her eldest is complimented on his politeness and kindness everywhere he goes, the younger ones are following suit.
My sons kid is just as polite, he's also highly intelligent so has plenty of empathy that makes him very diplomatic.

Not every parent is raising animals.

I was waiting to cross the road in Birmingham dressed in my best WRAF blue uniform clutching bags and suitcase. A funeral hearse and cars went slowly by and I, of course, quickly dumped the bags and gave a smart salute. A lady in the second car gave me a sad smile although passing pedestrians looked at me very strangely.

Deedaa

My son came home this evening from his job as a Tesco delivery driver and told me that he had spent an hour with one of his customers. The poor woman has Parkinson's and had been taken ill. He stayed with her until her daughter and an ambulance arrived. He could have left her to wait on her own, but that's not something he would do.

You have a son to be proud of!!!

…it is an interesting post. I sing in our church choir and since my retirement have sung at many funerals, both people known to me and not. Last summer I sang at the funeral of 2 retired clergy. Both ceremonies were meaningful but joyful and at the deceased’s request the congregation were encouraged to dress as one would for any regular Sunday service in the summertime.
Shortly afterwards I sang at a very sad funeral for a young man in his 30’s who had died suddenly and unexpectedly. The church was packed to the rafters with young people most of whom did not attend church. Almost without exception they were all dressed from head to toe in black but above all were so respectful and supportive to one another.
Strange isn’t it that bereavement often brings the best out in people.

My father always took his hat off when a hearse passed.
When we were in the car, in N Ireland, following my mother’s hearse a group of teenage school kids all made the sign of the cross. They had no idea who she was or what religion but they showed her respect anyway. As a Catholic (she wasn’t) I now always do the same.

CanadianGran what planet is she living on?

My dad was a policeman through 1950's and 60's. He always stopped and saluted a funeral procession

Yes a lovely post. We need more like this! 💖

That’s so nice to read about your son’s kindness to someone in need. What a wonderful parent's you have been.
I hope the lady with Parkinson's is on the mend? 💐

Deedaa

My son came home this evening from his job as a Tesco delivery driver and told me that he had spent an hour with one of his customers. The poor woman has Parkinson's and had been taken ill. He stayed with her until her daughter and an ambulance arrived. He could have left her to wait on her own, but that's not something he would do.

such a nice young man ,a credit to his parents, they must be proud of him, can I just add that I get my Tesco groceries delivered every week, and every one of the delivery men are very helpful.

He was on obviously a a very thoughtful, well brought up young man. What a lovely gesture.

If you have time. l would let Tesco know about this incident. I bet they would love the acknowledgement.

And praise their employee in som.way.

The Age of Chivalry is not dead.

Sorry for your loss.
Xxx

A beautiful post

When we were following my dad's hearse we passed an elderly school crossing man. He removed his hat and salute. As my dad was a military man this meant a lot to me.

In Denmark,funeral cars are not part of the service provided by the undertaker. Mourners either drive their own, or order taxis.

For my mother's funeral, we had ordered a taxi. My father sat in the front passenger seat, my sister, husband and I on the back seat. We habitually spoke English with my father and did so on that day, too.

We were, as the chief mourners , immediately behind the hearse on our way from the church to the cemetary. At the first set of traffic lights, when we stopped for a red light, the taxi driver, very obviously a Pakistani or Indian gentleman, turned to my father, indicating the hearse, and said, in English, "Your wife, sir?" My father assented and the driver said, "I am sorry, sir."

I have never forgotten this kind gesture to a total stranger - it was a bright point in a very hard day.

What a respectful young man and how nice of you Sago to spread the word…

Ziplock

I so agree! My children range from 41 to 23, so some are the younger generation, I find them, their partners and their peers, on the whole, to be respectful and polite.

I agree it is the worst of our society, at all ages, who seems to get the most media coverage and give the impression that they are in the majority, which, imo, they most certainly are not.

TwiceAsNice

So nice to hear not all young people are so respectful but do we teach them such things nowadays

Yes, of course we do. The majority of young are decent and thoughtful having been brought up to be. Sadly, they aren’t considered as newsworthy perhaps as the few who aren’t and make headlines for the wrong reasons.
There are many decent folk about of all ages.

It's nice to know some people still show respect to a funeral cortege. I will always remember when my dad died and we were on the way to the crematorium - it must have been the end of the shift at the local pit, and the miners were all making their way home. To a man, they all stood and took off their bunnets (caps) as the cortege passed. It's something which touched me so deeply at the time and has stayed with me to this day.

Thank you for this, Sago. It was a heartwarming read.

A thoughtful gesture.

Are you normally allowed to stop ON a roundabout? I thought you had priority and should keep going.

Deedaa - another great example of the kind generosity of spirit that most of us sharev